Geranium plant named ‘Balfanimfro’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Geranium  plant named ‘Balfanimfro’ characterized by its semi-double salmon-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and vigorous, upright and mounded growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Pelargonium×hortorum.

Variety denomination: ‘Balfanimfro’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Geranium plant botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balfanimfro’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Arroyo Grande, Calif., during March 1999. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Geranium cultivars with a vigorous, upright and mounded growth habit, dark green-colored foliage, and new and unique flower color.

The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar was ‘Fissil’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,364, characterized by its single magenta-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage and medium growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar was ‘Clips Light Lav’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,349, characterized by its semi-double light lavender-colored flowers and dark green-colored foliage. The new Geranium was discovered and selected by the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during February 2000 at Arroyo Grande, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings taken since February 2000 at Arroyo Grande, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill., has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Balfanimro’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Geranium plant:

-   -   1. Semi-double salmon-colored flowers.     -   2. Dark green-colored foliage.     -   3. Vigorous, upright and mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in growth habit and flower form and from plants of the male parent primarily in flower color.

Of the many commercially available Geranium cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Balfanfaro’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,767. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Balfanfaro’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar exhibit darker flower color than         plants of ‘Balfanfaro’.     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar exhibit a more distinct leaf         zonation than plants of ‘Balfanfaro’.     -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have smaller umbels than plants of         ‘Balfanfaro’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balfanimfro’. The plants were grown for 8 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Balfanimfro’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of a single umbel of ‘Balfanimfro’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined on Oct. 8, 2004 between 10:00 and 11:45 a.m. under natural light conditions, in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a double polycarbonate-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill. in 10 cm pots for 8 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 65° F. to 70° F. (18° C. to 21° C.) during the day and approximately 60° F. to 65° F. (15° C. to 18° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 4,000-6,000 footcandles were maintained during the day. Plants were pinched at three weeks after the planting of a rooted cutting.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium×hortorum cultivar     ‘Balfanimfro’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—‘Fissil’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,364.         -   Male parent.—‘Clips Light Lav’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,349. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 10 to 14 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 28             days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Crop time.—Approximately 8 to 9 weeks from a rooted cutting             to finish in a 10 cm pot.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Vigorous, upright and             mounded.         -   Height from soil level to top of plant plane.—Approximately             18.9 cm.         -   Width/area of spread.—Approximately 26.9 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely basal branching. Approximately 2             branches per plant.         -   Branch description.—Strength: Strong. Length: Approximately             6.1 cm. Diameter: Approximately 6.6 mm. Texture: Dense,             short, soft. Color: closest to 144B. Internode length at             center of branch: Approximately 1.4 cm.         -   Foliage description.—Number of leaves per lateral branch:             Approximately 11. Fragrance: None. Form: Mature foliage is             simple. Arrangement: Opposite. Shape: Reniform. Margin:             Crenate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Cordate. Venation pattern:             Palmate. Texture of upper surface: Densely pubescent.             Texture of lower surface: Moderately pubescent with dense             pubescence along veins. Color of upper surface of mature             foliage: 137A with veins of 144A. Color of lower surface of             mature foliage: 146A with veins of 144A. Length of mature             leaf: Approximately 4.7 cm. Width of mature leaf:             Approximately 5.3 cm. Petiole length: Approximately 4.9 cm.             Petiole diameter: Approximately 2.8 mm. Petiole Texture:             Pubescent on both upper and lower surface. Petiole color:             144A with glands of 28B. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Outdoor flowering habit.—‘Balfanimfro’ is freely flowering             under outdoor growing conditions with substantially             continuous blooming from spring through autumn and year             round in greenhouse environment.         -   Time to first flower.—Approximately 8 weeks after planting             of rooted cutting.         -   Lastingness of individual bloom.—Approximately 5 to 7 days. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Type.—Hemispherical umbel. Position: Above foliage. Number             of open umbels at any one time: 3. Number of developing             umbels at any one time: 2. Diameter of fully open umbel:             Approximately 9.9 cm. Height/depth of fully open umbel:             Approximately 6 cm. Number of flowers per umbel:             Approximately 17.         -   Peduncle.—Strong, erect. Length: Approximately 17.5 cm.             Diameter: Approximately 3.3 mm. Texture: Dense, short, soft.             Color: 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Bud rate of opening.—Generally takes from 3 to 5 days for             buds to progress from first color to fully open floret.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Elliptic. Length:             Approximately 1.3 cm. Diameter: Approximately 8 mm. Texture:             Dense. Petal color: Betweem 52A and 52B. Sepal color: 144A.         -   Corolla.—Form: Semi-double. Shape: Round, slightly cupped.             Diameter/Width: Approximately 4.3 cm. Depth: Approximately             1.9 cm. Fragrance: None. Persistent.         -   Petals/petaloids.—Quantity: Approximately 8 petals and 6             petaloids, of varying shape, per flower. Arrangement:             Imbricate. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Attenuate.             Margin: Entire. Texture of upper and lower surface:             Glabrous. Upper petal length: Approximately 2.4 cm. Upper             petal width: Approximately 1.6 cm. Lower petal length:             Approximately 2.2 cm. Lower petal width: Approximately             1.6 cm. Color of upper surface of fully open upper petals             and petaloids: 58B with venation of 50B. Color of upper             surface of fully open lower petals and petaloids: 58B. Color             of lower surface of fully open upper petals and petaloids:             52A with venation of 50B. Color of lower surface of fully             open of lower petals and petaloids: 55B.         -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong. Angle: Acute. Length:             Approximately 3.6 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.2 mm.             Texture: Soft, short dense hair, glandular. Color: 144A with             glands of 28B.         -   Calyx.—Formed by 5 sepals. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal             apex: Acuminate. Sepal base: Truncate. Sepal margin: Entire.             Length of largest sepal: 1.1 cm. Width of largest sepal:             3.7 mm. Length of smallest sepal: 0.9 cm. Width of smallest             sepal: 1.3 mm. Texture of both upper surface (inner) and             lower surface(outer): Moderately glandular. Gland color:             Translucent. Sepal color: Upper and lower surface: 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Filament quantity:             Approximately 11. Filament color: N155B. Quantity of fertile             anthers: Approximately 8. Anther length: Approximately             1.7 mm. Anther color: 183C. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen             color 167A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: One per flower.             Pistil length: Approximately 9.6 mm. Stigma shape: 5 pointed             star. Stigma length: 2.2 mm. Stigma color: 185B. Style             length: 2.4 mm. Style color: 185D. Ovary length: 5 mm. Ovary             diameter: 5 mm. Ovary texture: Sericeous. Ovary color: 143A. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to geraniums has not been observed. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Geranium plant named ‘Balfanimfro’, substantially as herein shown and described. 